“After further review… and further review…”

So it’s been three weeks with the NFL replacement officials. Three weeks where the fans have been screaming over every disputed call, every controversial judgment, every time the play they see differs from the results called by the referees.

The replacement refs have been maligned, they’ve been chastised, they’ve been nicknamed things like “scabs” and “strikebreakers” and “Lingerie League Refs.” Oddsmakers are giving home teams larger point spreads, based on the perception that the replacement officials are favoring the home team in close calls. Fans are cursing the officials on every close play, saying, “Oh, the real officials would have gotten that call right. That call is going to cost us the game, it’s going to cost us a playoff berth, it’s going to cost us the season. You maniacs! You blew it up!! Damn you, damn you all to hell!!”

Okay, Charlton Heston… get back on the horse and ride past the Statue of Liberty’s head.

Yeah, there have been screwed-up calls all season. It happens. What was it the other day, Baltimore winning a game against New England on a field goal that might or might not have been good? A call so controversial, that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick actually grabbed an official’s arm after the game?

And then there was last night’s matchup between Seattle and Green Bay.

You know what play I’m talking about. Fourth and ten, eight seconds to go, Seattle down 12-7 and everybody knows there’s going to be a Hail Mary throw in the end zone.

I’ve watched the play several times this morning. Green Bay’s M.D. Jennings initially had possession of the catch, while Seattle’s Golden Tate may have had his hand on the ball at the same time, and wrapped his arms around the pigskin a second later. Of course, Golden Tate was open because he pushed Green Bay’s Sam Shields out of the way with a shove to the back, but apparently that penalty wasn’t called.

The ruling on the field – touchdown, Seattle. Ten minutes later, the call was confirmed by the replay officials. Seattle got the win, Green Bay got rooked.

Really… do you think last night’s game was the only time in NFL history that officials have made disputed calls, judgment calls that seem out of judgment?

Trust me. NFL referees have made questionable calls for AGES. Some of the most famous plays in NFL history have been the results of disputed calls, calls with legendary nicknames. Forty years ago, Oakland Raiders fans cursed anybody who dared say that the “Immaculate Reception” was a great football play. Ten years ago, those Raiders fans have been known to describe the “Tuck Rule Game” against New England by spelling “Tuck” with a capital F.

And it’s not like the union NFL officials ever botched a call in their lives. In 1998, referee Phil Luckett once gave Vinny Testaverde a game-winning touchdown, despite the fact that Testaverde was downed at the 1-yard line and the ball never crossed the plane of the goal line. Luckett was also involved in the “Music City Miracle” play in which the Tennessee Titans may have kept a play alive by an illegal forward lateral pass – well, as far as the Bills were concerned, the play was illegal. And us Steelers fans have a deep-set dislike for Phil Luckett, when Luckett botched a coin flip call in the Steelers’ 1998 Thanksgiving Day matchup with the Lions.

Let’s also take something else into consideration. There are head coaches in the NFL right now that are designing plays based on whether or not they can intimidate the replacement officials. They know that this will be the only time these officials will ever work an NFL game, they’ll certainly never be admitted into the union after their participation after they crossed the picket line. The coaches know that NFL football is faster and more hard-hitting than any college game or minor league football game these refs have ever seen. So yeah, they’re going to try to rattle these officials like they were plebes at The Citadel. And if whatever they do causes an official to maybe let a pass interference play get by… that’s an added element of coaching.

And trust me on this. Do you think Seattle would give last night’s win back? Do you think the Seahawks would say, “Hey look, after further review, Green Bay should have won the game.” Nope. As far as the Seahawks are concerned, the officials got it right. Besides, Aaron Rodgers got sacked EIGHT TIMES in the first half. That’s not officiating, that’s a stingy Seattle defense that held the Packers to one touchdown, a couple of field goals and a missed two-point conversion.

Of course, now there are going to be calls for the NFL to open talks with the referees’ union and get the union refs back on the field. Even if they settle tomorrow, however, it will take at least two or three weeks for the officials to return to game-day shape and game-day speed. So the replacement referees will still be part of the game… for better or for worse.

And sure, the officials will be welcomed back to the NFL with cheers from the fans.

Until they blow a close pass interference play or mess up on a bang-bang scoring attempt. Which should happen by, oh, I don’t know… Week 7 of the NFL season?

I must have seen that play about 100 times on Sportscenter this morning. It was very clear that Jennings had more than 50% of the possession. I didn’t see the push, though. It’s kind of a moot point now.

Still, Green Bay had the OTHER 59 minutes and 59 seconds to win that game and they didn’t. I actually turned the game off at halftime and went to bed because it was so boring. Punt after punt after punt. Seeing Aaron Rogers get sacked a half dozen times was pretty funny, though. Perhaps they should move Clay Matthews to the offensive line?

Whoever wins the Super Bowl this year ALREADY will have the caveat of “well that was the year they locked out the real refs”. Can you imagine replacement refs in the Super Bowl? The way these labor talks are going (or lack thereof) I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them.